Australia's gum trees 'at risk'

Dec 17, 2013

Gum tree.

Many of Australia's iconic eucalypt ecosystems could change beyond recognition due to increased climate stress.

Research at the National Environmental Research Program's (NERP) Environmental Decisions Hub has found that heat waves, droughts and floods expected under climate change will alter environmental conditions so much that many eucalypts will no longer survive in their native ranges.

University of Queensland NERP Environmental Decisions Hub lead author Dr Nathalie Butt said trees are vulnerable to climate change.

"This is due to their long regeneration times and the relatively short dispersal distances of their seeds," Dr Butt said.

"Many of Australia's approximately 750 eucalypt species may not be able to keep up with climate change sufficiently to avoid heavy losses – and these will in turn have cascading impacts on local wildlife and other plants."

Replanting is unlikely to help woodlands and forests persist.

To find out whether Australia's various eucalypts can withstand likely climate changes, the NERP researchers tested different climate scenarios based on those used in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

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